Julie Durbhakula keeps striving for more in her running challenges. Photo: Oliver Jacques.
Griffith teacher Julie Durbhakula is preparing to test her limits once again, gearing up for an extraordinary 24-hour running challenge in Echuca after becoming the last woman standing at a similar event in her hometown.
The event belongs to a new type of endurance sport dreamed up by a group of insane fitness fanatics.
The format is brutal: competitors run 5–10 km loops on the hour, every hour, day and night, until their bodies finally refuse to cooperate. At 3 or 4 am, runners can be spotted shuffling through the darkness wearing headlamps.
Ms Durbhakula completed 17 loops around the Griffith Tennis Club just after Christmas.
“I did a total of 85 km, which was the most I’ve ever run,” she said.
“I wanted to do the full 24 hours but I was the last woman left, so there was real pressure to keep up with the only two remaining guys, Lachlan Date and Jim Wythes, so I wasn’t all alone in the dark. My kids were texting me too, so there was a bit of mum guilt. I finished up just before midnight.”
A glutton for punishment, she has since signed up for the 2 Rivers Backyard Ultra in Echuca in May — another gruelling event where she hopes to push even further.
“You keep running for as long as you can. My aim is to complete the full 24-hour cycle,” she said.
Julie tackled the Six Foot Track in Katoomba. Photo: Sportograph/supplied.
At 41, the mother of two says she is fitter and healthier now than she was in her early 20s.
“I started running when my first daughter was small,” she said.
“My husband would get home and I’d give him the baby so I could go for a walk, which progressed into a run. I used to just do 5 km here and there, and that turned into ultramarathons.”
These days, her training regime is no small commitment.
“I run between 40 and 50 km per week and go to the gym five or six mornings a week.”
For those inspired to follow in her footsteps, Ms Durbhakula says the secret is to find the right crowd.
“I found a good, motivating community and that’s given me the drive to go further. I have that feeling that others are expecting me to be there,” she said.
Good listening material also helps.
“I listen to podcasts while I run. Music becomes repetitive because I run so much, so I listen to podcasts and audiobooks. It helps you zone out — you’re focusing on what they’re saying rather than how much you’re dying or how hot it is. I love my footy, so I listen to a lot of rugby league podcasts and true crime.”
Julie (pink top, middle) assembled with the town’s craziest athletes for the post-Christmas challenge. Photo: Supplied.
Ms Durbhakula is also fortunate enough to be a Penrith Panthers supporter.
“But I’m not a bandwagon jumper — I’ve followed them since I was a child and even have their 2003 premiership-winning jersey. I’ve also been through some tough times,” she said.
Her recent fitness achievements have earned her national media attention, but Ms Durbhakula insists there are no gimmicks behind her success.
“I have a balanced diet. I enjoy a good meal and a few glasses of wine. I just try to be mindful and not overdo it,” she said.
Wine may yet feature in a future athletic challenge, with Griffith ultra-event organiser Sharon Careri planning a route that would involve running between wineries and enjoying a glass of vino between loops.
“I’d love to do that. If it’s a serious thing, it would be perfect for Griffith,” Ms Durbhakula said.
Ultimately, however, her dream run lies overseas.
“My goal would be to one day do the Dopey Challenge at Disney, where you run a 5 km, 10 km, half marathon and full marathon over consecutive days. I’d also love to do some of the great international marathons like New York or Tokyo.”
